Kiln owners ask MC to use bricks instead of tiles to construct pavements

After facing controversy over the use of interlocking tiles in different areas of the city, now Brick Kiln Owners' Association is making pressure on municipal corporation to replace these tiles and use bricks instead for constructing pavements and footpaths.

After facing controversy over the use of interlocking tiles in different areas of the city, now Brick Kiln Owners' Association is making pressure on municipal corporation to replace these tiles and use bricks instead for constructing pavements and footpaths.

Reason that has been given for the replacement of the tiles is that bricks allow rain water to seep into the ground, thus recharging the ground water, whereas interlocking tiles do not allow recharging of the ground water.

In this regard, a meeting of the association with mayor Harcharan Singh Gohalwaria was held on Monday evening in which, the kiln owners tried to explain their point to the mayor, and asked him that a policy in which bricks are used should be tabled.

Association chairman Satish Agarwal said, “Interlocking tiles do not allow ground water to be recharged, as they do not allow flow of water into the ground. Whereas, the bricks make it easy for water to enter into the ground.”

There are at least 300 brick kilns in Ludhiana from where bricks to all construction sites are supplied.

Agarwal said, “As the brick kiln owners are facing severe loss due to taxes on the industry. MC should start procurement of bricks from us so that brick kiln owners could earn their living and also a better system of construction along roadside could be developed by replacing interlocking tiles.”

However, mayor said it was their (brick kiln owners') version and MC would see to it whether there was a possibility to replace brick kilns with bricks.

“We have to take all points including financial loss and profit to the civic body into consideration, if we start replacing tiles with kilns. Only after that a policy could be formed in the matter,” Gohalwaria said.

He said the matter would be discussed with engineers and other experts so that a consensus is reached.